Predictions for Social Media in 2012

My colleague Peter recently wrote a great blog about Thomas Edison’s predictions for 2011, which he made in 1911. While Edison didn’t predict Social Media, I thought it would be interesting to post some predictions on the subject for 2012 from an article on socialmediaexaminer.com — and the predictions’ possible influence on our blog:

#2: Photo and video social networks will blossom

Cisco has been predicting this for a while, particularly John Chambers. As a best practice for our blog we try to incorporate video as much as possible, as it increases engagement and enhances the experience. So it looks like we’re already on board for that prediction! And yes, I do realize that there isn’t a video for this blog, so no need to point that out

#4: Strategy takes center stage for social media

Now is the time. Businesses will start to show their chops in 2012.

I firmly believe that 2012 is the year most business start to turn the corner on embracing and understanding social media marketing and using it more strategically. We’ve had enough of the hippie, tree-hugger, Kumbaya nonsense and want to start using social media as a strategic business driver.

This is the concept of Social Selling – targeting customers through social media channels – which we will expand upon the coming weeks on this blog. It is a relatively new (and loosely defined) concept, but also one which is gaining rapid adoption. Stay tuned for an upcoming interview with Jeff Reinke, editor of Manufacturing.net, on this subject.

#6: Businesses outsource content creation

Not for this blog! We’re expanding our team and output in the new year!

#12: YouTube provides a social experience, #13: YouTube takes the lead, and #14: YouTube rises to top of mind

There is a forgotten group—in fact, I’d say it’s a forgotten majority…It’s the thousands upon thousands of blue-collar businesses spread across the globe that up to this point have been slow to embrace social media, but are now joining the ranks of other industries in an effort to change the way things in marketing have always been done…Each and every day, more and more mechanics, carpenters, plumbers, landscapers, etc., come to understand the need to embrace this new age of marketing. They’re seeing the trends of the way people shop, think and make decisions. Finally, instead of refusing to tackle their online deficiencies, they’re instead confronting the problem head-on.

More than ever, these businesses are blogging, producing educational videos and leveraging all types of social media. The idea that social media and blogging for business will only shine upon white-collar and tech industries will soon be a thing of the past. Do the blue-collars have a long way to go? Yes, that’s certainly true, but without question, eyes are finally opening and the revolution is just around the corner.

Now, the manufacturing industry isn’t necessarily the equivalent of a small blue collar business, but we love the idea of an industry – such as manufacturing – that has been slow to adopt social media begin to participate. We hope that this blog will help contribute to that “revolution.”

What do you think? Are these predictions prescient? Or are they similar to Thomas Watson’s “I think there is a world market for maybe five computers” prediction? Feel free to post some of your own predictions below!

2 Comments.

My 5 predictions…
Social media IPO would be a major hit in the market.
Social media would be a tool for the curation of current events and news. Also a tool to be used in politics particularly with the US presidential elections on their way.
Advertising on the social media site is bound to become more obvious in 2012.
People would be more than happy to keep their social media experience based around their smartphones.
Journalism embracing social media so completely is bound to be negative repercussions (Job cuts) on the industry.

Hi Paul -- first off, I'm glad to see that you've joined our social rewards program! Thanks for commenting with your predictions. The IPO prediction would be interesting to see -- any thoughts on who that would be? Also, the affect on journalism might be a long-term issue, rather than just 2012. But good point!

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